College SweetheartsThe beginning of newlyweds Ashley and Ricky’s love story is a familiar one: they were good friends who became lovers. Both sophomores at Winthrop University when they met, at first they found that friendship fit them best even though their unique bond was undeniable. They quickly became closer than close, and just a year later, neither of them could resist the romantic urges pulling their hearts together. “The rest is history,” says the new bride.

Special DeliveryFor three years, Ricky and Ashley were forced to stretch their love across the many miles between them. He was living in South Carolina and she was working in New York City. The distance between them made romance rather difficult, so Ricky was determined to propose to Ashley in a grand fashion. On the morning of Friday, June 8, 2012, Ashley was getting ready to go to work when her downstairs doorbell rang. She was told she had a FedEx package, so she signaled for the delivery guy to come up so she could sign for the package. “When I opened the door, Ricky was down on one knee as handsome as ever with a gorgeous ring in his hand,” she recalls. “I screamed and hugged him tight. In my mind, I tried to remember every feeling and detail about that moment. It was perfect.”